Lawmakers wrapped up their legislative session five days early after a hectic day Friday, overriding Gov. Bill Ritter’s budget vetoes, debating the war in Iraq and approving a plan allowing Colorado to move up its presidential caucuses to Feb. 5.

The last day was dominated by the vote to override the governor’s veto of spending instructions the Legislature had attached to the $17.8 billion budget. In their first veto override since 1988, lawmakers said they were obligated to defend their constitutional right to appropriate money.

Lawmakers also approved measures expressing displeasure with the war in Iraq and simultaneously voicing support for U.S. troops. They also ordered casinos to withhold gambling winnings from deadbeat parents.

Democrats, who control the Legislature and the governor’s office, said the early adjournment saved the state about $75,000.

Republicans were upset when Democrats were told to vote their conscience on the resolution condemning the war in Iraq and killed it, then resurrected the bill later in the day and passed it.

“The last day was very disappointing,” said House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker.

House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said the Legislature should be measured by the progress made on bills promoting renewable energy and providing more money for education and health care, not on one vote on Iraq.

“We did everything we said we were going to do,” Romanoff said.

May said when Democrats issued their “Colorado Promise” platform with a pledge to focus on “kitchen table issues,” they failed to mention that they planned to increase taxes and fees, including a plan by Gov. Bill Ritter to freeze residential property mill levies. Republicans said it will cost taxpayers an additional $1.7 billion over the next 10 years.

Ritter has denied his plan was a tax increase, instead saying it would stabilize school property taxes.

“Unfortunately, the biggest discussion at the kitchen table after this session will be about increased property taxes,” May said. “While this session saw progress on renewable energy and some tinkering around the edges on other issues, at the end of the day I believe the most noticeable change for Coloradans will be a result of the governor’s tax hike.”

May said lawmakers also proposed a number of anti-business bills, including one that would allow counties to create licensing programs for builders, one that would create licensing regulations for naturopathic doctors and one that would have prohibited minors from using tanning beds without a doctor’s prescription. Ritter signed the licensing bill and Republicans helped kill the other two.

Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, said business owners have the same issues as other people and will benefit accordingly.

“We’re not going to apologize for standing with workers and workers’ families,” Groff said.

Florida’s state social services agency investigated Nikolas Cruz’s home life more than a year before police say he killed 17 people at his former high school, closing the inquiry after determining that his “final level of risk is low,” despite learning that the teenager had behavioral struggles and was planning to buy a gun, according to an investigative report.